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T O P I C R E V I E W

Robert Pearlman

NASA release

Astronaut Jerry Ross, First Seven-Time Flier, Retires

Jerry L. Ross, the first person to launch into space seven times, has retired from NASA.

During a career that spanned more than three decades, Ross spent almost 1,400 hours in space and conducted nine spacewalks to rank third on the list of most extravehicular activity time in space.

"Jerry has been instrumental in the success of many of NASA's human spaceflight missions and numerous spacewalks," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office. "Not only were his skills and operational excellence key in major spaceflight activities but his expertise and vigilance also helped all those who followed in his footsteps. We are the better for his years of dedication to the corps and NASA."

Ross joined NASA in 1979 as a payload officer and flight controller. In 1980, he was selected as an astronaut. He and Franklin Chang-Diaz are the only two astronauts to have flown into space seven times. In addition to Ross' spaceflight mission accomplishments, he went on to serve NASA in the critical role of managing the Vehicle Integration Test Office.

"Jerry was equally invaluable leading this critical team, especially through space station assembly, the transition to the space shuttle retirement, and during the initial phases of our future programs," said Janet Kavandi, director of flight crew operations. "He was considered a mentor to many he worked with there. We wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement."

Of his seven flights into orbit, Ross flew on space shuttles Endeavour and Columbia once each and a record-setting five times on shuttle Atlantis, including his first and last missions. His first flight was on the STS-61B mission in 1985. His final flight into space was on the STS-110 mission in 2002.

During his seven missions, Ross assisted in deploying a number of satellites and other payloads. He performed experiments in material, life and Earth sciences, and physics, robotics and astronomy.

Ross was a member of the STS-74 crew, the second mission to dock to Russia's space station Mir. He also traveled to the then-fledgling International Space Station, where he helped connect the U.S.-built Unity node to the Russian Zarya module.

On STS-110, Ross's final trip to space, he was instrumental in the delivery and installation of the S0 (S-Zero) truss.

Jerry Ross accumulated more than 1,393 hours in space, including 58 hours and 18 minutes on nine spacewalks.

The Northwest Indiana Times reported that Ross's last day with NASA and the U.S. Air Force was Friday, Jan. 20.

Ross and his wife of 42 years, Karen, are looking forward to continued travels, especially visiting New Zealand and Australia. Ross will have time for his many hobbies, including genealogy, woodworking, photography and model rocketry.

The article says that Ross will publish his autobiography, "Space Walker," in 2013.

mjanovec

Like John Young, Ross was a true career astronaut, staying for the long haul. Best wishes to him for a long and happy retirement!

Hart Sastrowardoyo

Now that's a bio I'd love to read, preview unseen, given his long history with the shuttle program.

Fun fact: Ross' first shuttle mission was to have been 62A, when it was sked for an early 1985 launch. What orbiter did he never fly, not counting Challenger? Ironically enough, Discovery, which was the shuttle for 62A.

Michael Cassutt

quote:Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:Fun fact: Ross' first shuttle mission was to have been 62A, when it was sked for an early 1985 launch.

Actually, not as much fun as you might think: Ross first flew on 61-B in November 1985.

GoesTo11

quote:Originally posted by mjanovec:Ross was a true career astronaut, staying for the long haul.

No kidding... I hadn't even realized Ross was still with NASA and the USAF! I too am looking forward to his memoir.

Veteran Space Shuttle commander Robert L. Crippen will head the crew of mission 62-A, scheduled for launch no earlier than January 29, 1986, from Vandenberg. Other crew members named include pilot Guy S. Gardner and mission specialists Dale A. Gardner, Jerry L. Ross and R. Michael Mullane.

Crippen will be making his fifth shuttle flight, the fourth as commander. He flew with astronaut John Young on the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Columbia in April, 1981, and was commander of STS-7, 41-C and 41-G. Dale Gardner will be making his third trip into space, having previously served as a mission specialist on STS-8 and 51-A. Mullane flew previously as a mission specialist on 41-D. Guy Gardner and Ross will be making their first trips into space.

(And 51D was assigned to Challenger's ninth flight, which as noted Ross also never flew.)

Jay Chladek

Mmm, Model Rocketry AND woodworking. I would love to go out in a field and fly a few rockets with this guy.

brianjbradley

Guy Gardner and Ross will be making their first trips into space.

Ross was assigned to 62A while in training for 61B, a increasingly common occurrence at that time.

dogcrew5369

I would love to read his biography especially considering some hair raising moments during a couple flights; STS-27 with the tile damage and STS-55 with the launch abort. Love to get his perspective on that alone. He's always been one of my favorite astronauts.

dabolton

During my JSC Level 9 tour last March, Jerry Ross was leading a private tour of the Apollo Mission Control when we were in there. I recognized him immediately even though he was in street clothes.

Rick

I have an interview scheduled with Jerry tomorrow morning. I have five pages of questions ready and waiting, but with a career like he enjoyed, any conversation is sure to barely scratch the surface. If you were doing the interview, what questions would you make sure to ask?

brianjbradley

I'd want to know about any more unclassified information from STS-27. Did he make a spacewalk, which would up his ranking in spacewalk time. Or comparisons of working with Russians on -74 at the beginning of Shuttle-Mir, to -110 on the space station.

KSCartist

I'd be curious to know if Crip shared any of my patch art for 62A with the crew.

goldbera

I'm pretty sure the STS-27 spacewalk question is still classified!

kyra

quote:Originally posted by brianjbradley:I'd want to know about any more unclassified information from STS-27. Did he make a spacewalk, which would up his ranking in spacewalk time.

It is very unlikely, as they would have needed to break radio silence by using the unscrambled Air to Air communications during an EVA.

Best of Luck to Jerry Ross!

dogcrew5369

I'd also like to say best wishes to Jerry Ross. He was always one of my favorite astronauts since I was 15.

On STS-27, did they not have to return to the satellite after deployment to fix it after some sort of failure? What method would they have had to repair it without a spacewalk? Of course we'll never know the nature of the failure.

astro-nut

Best wishes and good luck to Colonel Ross on his retirement! Thank you for your dedicated service to the USAF and NASA. Colonel Ross will always be remembered as the first human to fly seven times in space.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Colonel Ross twice and he is one of the greatest person to meet. My favorite photo is of him, Gene Cernan and Neil Armstrong and myself taken together at Purdue University last year!!